Le Coeur de la Mer
by ObsessedFangirl221B
Summary: "You saved my life so many times, more times than I can count. You are different. You protect. You stand apart from everyone else. The Good Lord must have sent you to me, to protect me, to save me. That is why you are from Heaven. That is why you are my angel." Philip/Syrena


_Forgive me…_

They were two words. They were two simple, beautiful words…the most beautiful words Syrena had ever heard. They escaped from Philip's mouth like a wispy cloud, tainting the eerie atmosphere with its enigmatic music. The melody swept through her entire body, making every part of her swim in a strange and wonderful pleasure.

The tangled mass of mermaid bodies seemed to cast ghostly mist all around them, encircling and capturing them within its grasp. And to think she could have been one of them, if it hadn't been for Philip. If it hadn't been for his kindness, his selflessness, and his beautiful soul, Syrena's spirit would have been enveloped by the darkness and no one would have been there to save her. But someone had been there to save her, and it had been the same man responsible for her capture. Now, only the sunlight shone upon them, forever shielding them from the darkness. Now, even the grim images of her dead sisters would not faze her. All Syrena could see was Philip…her Philip.

Syrena stared deep into the bright green eyes of her savior, the most incredible being in the entire world. It was a strange thought; one she had never believed would ever cross her mind about a human. And yet here she was, watching him with her deep dark orbs, transfixed by his amazing beauty.

_You are different. Are you not? You protect._

He was different. He was so very different from any other human being she had ever encountered. And that simple fact was enough for her heart to swell with happiness whenever she saw his face, to beat with hope whenever she heard his voice. Never, would Syrena take back those words she had uttered to Philip so long ago. It was so far from a lie. He had protected every single person he could have. But, most of all, he had protected her, a dangerous creature that could have killed him in an instant. This thought seared through Syrena's mind, enflaming the rest of her body with a fiery passion. Could a mermaid fall in love with a man? It was possible. It must have been possible. That was the only emotion in Syrena's burdened heart that she could make sense of anymore. Everything else was a blur, much like the towering trees in the mist with the hanging branches like human arms.

For a moment, Philip's face was strangely calm as he stared back at her, making them both forget that oodles of blood were seeping from his wound. But then again, Philip was a strange man who possessed emotions unlike any of the others. When he was supposed to be afraid, he was brave. When his cruel race demanded he be indifferent, his warm heart burst with so much caring. Even as he lay at the edge of the pool, the life slowly and painfully escaping from his body, he was serene.

_My mind is at peace…because of you._

With the two of them petrified, it was only when Philip's hand pressed harder against the wound did Syrena recall the promise she had made.

_Philip, I can save you. You need only ask._

The reminder struck her mind like a bolt of lightning, frighteningly alerting her to the dire situation, and the terrifying consequences that could occur. She had to save him, just as he had saved her more times than she could count. If she didn't, he would die, when he was the last man on earth who deserved such a fate. If she let that happen, Syrena knew that she would never forgive herself for as long as she lived. He had come back for her, even as he bled to death from a slash to the abdomen. Without any thought towards saving himself, Philip had returned to save her from dying a most painful death. He must have cared for her, perhaps just as much as she cared for him.

With a swift flick of her powerful tail, Syrena raised herself from the water towards Philip's wounded body. In a matter of seconds, both of Syrena's hands rested upon Philip's face, and she reveled in the strange, tingling feeling when her scales touched his unshaven chin. When her gentle lips touched his, Philip immediately surrendered himself to the sweet and gentle kiss. As the kiss grew deeper and more passionate, Syrena explored the rest of his handsome face, her hands traversing all over his sun burnt cheeks and tattered light brown hair. Once her curious appendages found the back of his neck, the mermaid used all of the power remaining in her weakened body to pull the human closer to her. It wasn't long before both were completely submerged under the water, and the magic of a mermaid's kiss took full effect.

Syrena couldn't remember a time when her hands had grasped something so tightly in desperation to protect. But that time had come, for her arms wrapped around Philip's torso as her powerful tail cut through the water like a knife through paper. As she swam further through the dark caverns of her home, Syrena desperately tried to focus her mind on the perilous journey ahead, for it would require all the concentration her mind could conjure. And yet, as she narrowed her eyes at every rock and crevice, Syrena could not help it when her eyes lowered towards the beautiful man now sleeping peacefully in her arms, completely oblivious as to where she was taking him. As soon as the kiss had ended, Philip had instantly collapsed unconscious into her welcoming arms as the spell carried itself out. Now, it was her chance to carry him to safety, just as he had done for her.

_Put your arms around me._

_I do not ask for help._

_But you need it._

A small smile emerged on her lips as her mind replayed the memory over and over again. She would never forget the look in his eyes as he begged her to let him help her, the sincerity in his voice as he spoke such kind words. Her pride had overwhelmed her at first, but Syrena soon let her trust in him get the better of her since there was no other option at the time. But it wasn't long before that trust became genuine, even after she saw him deceive her for a tear. Even as she lay dying in the pools, wanting to believe he had betrayed her, her heart wouldn't allow her. When Philip came back, practically dragging himself towards her, it was then that Syrena knew that her heart could never lie to her. It had been right all along in giving into the trust that enveloped her entire being.

It was then that Syrena pressed Philip's body closer to hers, wanting to drink in his intoxicating aroma. In his unconscious state, Philip's head fell gently onto her shoulder and another enormous smile took over her entire face. She didn't dare halt the journey, but Syrena gently kissed the top of his head as they continued to race through the chilling water, racing past all of the other creatures of the deep.

"Everything will be all right, my dear Philip. You will be all right."

It seemed like hours before Syrena and Philip reached a small, hidden cavern when it was more like mere minutes. And as more time passed, the closer Syrena's heart came to breaking in two. The water surrounding them slowly transformed into a pool of ominous red, distorting the usual soothing blue color. The source of the cruel transformation emanated from Philip's wound as he continually lost more and more blood. It truly was a strange sight to behold, for the blood seemed suspended in the water, like it had no willpower to be swept away by the current.

Syrena knew that she couldn't waste any time, but they had to find a secluded place where she knew Philip would be safe from the clutches of any sea creature. But, even among the voracious sharks and eels, Syrena's body only turned deathly cold at the thought of her sisters. If more than one surrounded Philip and dragged him to the depths of the ocean, there would be no way she could save him. And, not only would she fail to keep a promise, she would forever lose the man she had given her heart to.

They finally broke the surface as soon as they entered the dark cavern, where it seemed that no light could have ever existed. Consuming all of her strength, Syrena pulled Philip's body out of the water and laid it on the rocks as gently as she could. With her own body still in the water, she then propped her upper body next to his so that she could observe his gruesome wound on the left side of his stomach. Her delicate and gentle fingers grazed the top of the broken skin, which seemed to have widened between now and when he had been at the edge of the pond. It was so obstinate, like a small disobedient child, refusing to subdue the constant deluge of blood. It wasn't long before her fingers mingled with Philip's blood, before every inch of her skin became tainted with the strange crimson liquid. But it was only after Syrena's eyes trailed down Philip's face did her heart fully collapse into the pit of her stomach.

He looked so peaceful lying upon the rocks, his eyelids protecting his vision from the darkness around them. His gentle and sweet lips, the lips she had so desperately wanted to feel, hung open slightly in his state of unconsciousness. Damp strands of his hair clung to his face, encircling it like it was a shrine. And it was a shrine in Syrena's eyes. It was the face of a savior, a being from that place in the clouds Philip spoke of so often. That place, filled with love and kindness, must be real despite her earlier doubt. It was real, for it had brought him to her.

A tear finally fell from her eye, first traversing her cheek before sliding down her chin and directly upon the wound. Tear after tear followed the first along the winding river carved out upon her cheek, each one landing upon the place where her mermaid magic was needed most. Each and every tear performed its duty flawlessly, pulling the once broken skin back together until only a faint scar could be seen. The malicious redness on his chest vanished almost completely, save for the fading color within the scar. From the beginning, from the moment she had uttered her promise to save him, Syrena had known exactly how to fulfill such a promise. As soon as the scattered pieces of her heart reunited, the weight upon her burdened mind lifted, and her eyes shed tears of joy, it was certain that Syrena had saved Philip. She had saved his life, just as this wonderful man had saved hers.

"_You care for her."_

_Blackbeard's cruel, menacing voice rebounded against every tree surrounding the jungle pools; he was like an ungodly presence destined to haunt her for the rest of her afterlife. The haunting images of her dead sisters clouded her vision even when she closed her eyes. She was to become one of them, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it from happening. With her arms in the clutches of the cruel quartermaster, Syrena knew that she was being sentenced to death, even if she gave Blackbeard what he wanted. She had all but given up trying to fight, her fangs finally retreating to the back of her mouth. That was so unlike her kind, to give in to the torture without a battle to the end. But then again, Syrena was an outcast among the Whitecap Bay mermaids, and she had been for her entire life. Perhaps that was why she had been thrust into this unbearable situation, because she deserved to die, because she was a shameful embarrassment for her sisters. She was weak, vulnerable, and useless. She didn't even kill a human when she had the chance._

_But her eyes found Philip's determined face, for he was the only human there desperately trying to save her life, the human she could have killed. Anger was boiling inside the same eyes that only revealed gentleness and kindness towards her. But as soon as Blackbeard uttered those four words to him, Philip's entire demeanor transformed in front of Syrena's eyes. Just as the ferocity washed away from his eyes, those same eyes turned away from Blackbeard to lock upon hers. It was then that his eyes seemed to speak to her, telling her that Blackbeard's words were true. Syrena could do nothing but stare back, her mind refusing to give in to the tricks it was playing with her heart. It couldn't be true. Philip was telling her a cruel lie. How could a human love a mermaid? Were they still not enemies, even as they both stood against the common enemy in Blackbeard? It couldn't be true. It couldn't be possible._

_And yet, as Syrena tried to battle with her heart, she knew that, deep down, she could never win the war. She was in love with that brave man, the man who, she now knew, loved her back. _

"_You fancy her," Blackbeard sneered cruelly, realization dawning on his features. "You do not deny what is clear to my eyes."_

_It was then that Philip looked frantically between him and Syrena, fear now clouding his eyes. Syrena watched him the entire time, dread slowly but surely consuming her entire body. Despite knowing him for only days, Syrena read that fear immediately from Philip's face. His love for her had been discovered by the enemy, and now, he was going to use it against them both. _

"_The question is: does she fancy you?"_

_In a matter of seconds, Blackbeard's face was right up against hers, demanding an answer to the one question Syrena could never lie about. She refused to open her mouth, not wanting to give in to Blackbeard's pitiless wordplay when Philip had so valiantly fought against it. But her eyes were the one feature on her face she could never control. They were the doors to her heart, to her soul, and now Blackbeard had stepped across the threshold and threatened to destroy everything she held dear. _

"_My God, she does! We are in luck!" Blackbeard exclaimed with victory. "Bring forth a tear…or witness the death of this poor soul."_

_Before Syrena knew what was happening, a long knife had found its way to Philip's neck, and her dear love was now on his knees, his head forcefully held back, about to die right in front of her eyes._

_No matter how hard she struggled, Syrena could not escape her captor's hold on her. Everything she attempted, even her emerging fangs, could do nothing to stop them. She was completely helpless, Philip was completely helpless…they were both going to die._

_Then a horrible sound filled the air, just as the cold blade of the knife slide across Philip's chest, and he collapsed to the ground in front of her._

"_Philip!"_

"Syrena. Everything will be all right, I promise…"

It was his voice; it was his soothing, mesmerizing, and wonderful voice. But how was that possible? Didn't she just watch him die with her own eyes? Was she going mad with desperation and sorrow, forever cursed to recall the voice of the man she could never have? Perhaps, they were both dead, and their souls had finally found each other in the land above the clouds. Either way, Syrena's mind ached with confusion, weighed down by the thoughts swirling inside her head. It was only after a rough, calloused hand brushed against Syrena's soft cheek did the rest of her senses become reactivated. The familiar sensation of cool water against her scales calmed Syrena's racing heart, reminding her why she called the ocean her home. There was some sort of rock beneath, about one foot below the water, which she must have been resting upon. But it was the unfamiliar feel of Philip's hand on her cheek that brought Syrena back to the present, and away from her horrifying nightmare.

"Philip…" she moaned, her eyes still closed shut. She found herself turning her face more and more to the left, reveling in the feel of his thumb gently caressing her cheek.

"Syrena, I'm here. I'm here beside you." Philip whispered soothingly in her ear.

"You're here…" Syrena whispered as she slowly opened her eyes to see Philip's gentle and handsome face staring down at her from above. When he saw that she was awake, a sweet smile immediately tugged at Philip's lips, exposing the dimples in his cheeks. "You're alive."

"I'm alive because of you," he said as he brushed away the tears Syrena hadn't even known were there. Once the final tear was swept away, Philip cupped Syrena's chin in the palm of his hand and pulled her face closer to his until their lips touched in a soft kiss. Tears began pouring out of her eyes once again as their kiss deepened with time and passion. The first couple of tears appeared as mere droplets, just like the one Blackbeard had stolen from her back at the jungle pools. But it was only a matter of time before the droplets transformed into a turbulent river rushing down the side of her face. Syrena wrapped her arms around Philip's neck in desperation to bring him as close to her as possible, as if somehow, he could be taken from her like in her nightmare. Now, Blackbeard couldn't take Philip away from her. No one would ever be able to take him away from her.

"Why do you cry, Syrena?" he whispered against her ear after they pulled away. Even when their kiss ended, the distance between them failed to expand. Philip rested himself on his back in the shallow water right beside Syrena, making sure that their eyes were level with each other's. Syrena then turned her body so that her arms could wrap around his torso and her head could lie upon his chest. For anyone who could have laid eyes upon this sight, it must have been an astonishing one to say the least. Two very different beings, one with two human legs, the other with a single tail, were held in each other's arms in the depths of a darkening cavern.

"I saw you die, Philip," Syrena answered, her body suddenly trembling as she replayed the nightmare in her mind over and over again.

Philip immediately wrapped his arms tighter around her body, pressing his lips on the top of her head. "In your dream?"

"Yes," she said. "How did you know?"

"You were screaming my name in your sleep."

"Oh," was all Syrena could think to say as a wave of heat escaped through her face. It was such an unexpected, peculiar sensation that she couldn't place the source, or even know what to call it. It certainly wasn't how a mermaid reacted to such words, or at least how she was supposed to react. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Philip replied gently, a sweet smile once again forming on his lips.

"It was more like a memory than a dream. We were back at the pools, when I thought that man had killed you. Because I was in the middle of the memory, I felt exactly like I did when it actually happened. I thought you had died…again…"

As soon as she spoke these difficult words, Syrena could feel her heart clench inside her chest and the need to feel and touch Philip grew stronger inside her. But her need was instantly satisfied when Philip seemed to instinctively read her thoughts. Perhaps, it was because her words had urged her arm to wrap itself tighter around Philip's chest, as if she had the power to shield him from her dream, protect him from all of the evil in the world. That memory stood out above the others in all the time she had been a prisoner to Blackbeard's viscous crew. It was because, in her entire life, Syrena's unyielding heart had never surrendered itself until that moment. The strength that she had developed over the years washed away the instant the knife reached Philip's throat.

Gently and sweetly, as was always his nature, Philip began stroking her long brown hair, his long, soothing fingers becoming entangled in the damp strands. At the same time, his lips pressed against her forehead and lingered there for a few long moments. Each and every one of Philip's tender caresses sent shivers down Syrena's spine, but also possessed the extraordinary power to wash away the rising tension in her heart. Never before had Syrena felt so content, so safe, or so overjoyed to be in such a place as this; in the arms of a strong and loving man; in the arms of her Philip. Only days ago, she would have cringed at the mere thought of being protected by a human, especially when her mermaid strength could rip him in two. She had been brought up to believe that the only way to survive was to depend on oneself, and no one else. And yet, here she was, allowing herself to fall into his arms and stay there without a care in the world. It was the only place now where she felt like nothing could harm her, and nothing could harm him.

"I'm here, my angel," Philip said. "I'm here with you, and there's no place in the world I'd rather be."

Philip's words were beyond beautiful that Syrena didn't know how to describe the sentence he had just uttered. It was beyond description, beyond comprehension. It was something that only her heart could decipher and understand. But there was one word that didn't make any sense to her, for she had never heard Philip or any other human say it before. But Philip's beautiful voice sung the syllables like musical notes echoing off the cavern walls. And he had said "my," which meant that the word was a way of describing her. That knowledge in itself allowed Syrena's curiosity to get the better of her, causing her to lift her head from his chest to look straight into his eyes.

"Angel?" she repeated the word, the syllables sounding foreign and broken from her mouth when they had flowed so smoothly from his. "What is angel?"

"An angel is a celestial being from Heaven," Philip explained.

"The place above the clouds? The place where your book comes from?"

"Yes," he said, a warm smile radiating from his handsome face.

"But I am not from Heaven," Syrena replied, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I am from the sea. How can I be an angel?"

"Because you are so beautiful and perfect," Philip whispered, his hand once again brushing against her cheek. Not only was he smiling with his mouth, but now his stunning green eyes were also smiling with exploding happiness. "You saved my life so many times, more times than I can count. You are different. You protect. You stand apart from everyone else. The Good Lord must have sent you to me, to protect me, to save me. That is why you are from Heaven. That is why you are my angel."

Tears flooded into Syrena's eyes once again, pouring out like a tsunami. As her sisters had once told her, mermaid tears were something precious, something to be kept inside because they carried so much magic. But now, Syrena could not help herself. She could not hold back the tears or the magic. They flowed freely from her face, all of it coming forth for her dear Philip. He was the only one in the world she would give her precious tears to. He was the only one in the world she would give her heart to.

"I've never seen you cry so much," Philip said gently, brushing away the tears with his thumb. "I thought it was difficult to make a mermaid cry."

"It usually is," Syrena said, a smile forming of her lips behind the curtain of tears. "But remember what Blackbeard said?"

_Tears of sorrow, never. Tears of joy…_

"Tears of joy…" Philip said as he suddenly remembered, more to himself than to Syrena. "You are crying because you are happy…"

"I am happy. I have never been happier in my life," Syrena declared as she brushed her fingers over the entirety of his face, from his forehead to his cheeks to his chin. Everything about him was so beautiful that Syrena's arm trembled pleasantly every time her skin came into contact with his. "When you were dying, I knew I would be able to shed the tears I needed to save you. Just as a mermaid's tear is used for eternal youth, it can be used to heal fatal wounds."

"You wouldn't give Blackbeard your tear…" Philip continued to mutter, almost as if he was speaking his confused thoughts out loud.

"No," Syrena answered. "A mermaid's tear can never be forced from her. It must be given willingly, and only if she is truly happy. I gave a tear back at the pools because you made me happy. And now, when I saved you, all I had to think about was you for the tears to come. You are the only person who has made me cry so much, because you are the only person who has made me so happy. You are my angel, Philip and there is no place in the world I'd rather be than here with you."

Before she knew what was happening, Philip lifted his upper body from the ground towards Syrena, his arm following suit towards her face. In a matter of seconds his lips captured hers in a gentle and innocent kiss. His hand had firmly grasped her chin, which he used to pull her closer and deepen the kiss as time passed. Not that Syrena would have pulled away. Even as the minutes crawled on by, as it became more difficult to breathe, it was harder for either of them to pull away. It was almost as if they were swimming in the ocean, too deep and too immersed in the cool water to remember to come up for air. When they eventually had to break the kiss for a gulp of air, their foreheads never drew apart from each other's. Philip's incredible eyes were locked with hers, so that Syrena was soon lost in an endless trance. It was only when Philip spoke was Syrena able to pull herself out of the incredible dream.

"I love you, Syrena," Philip whispered with such passion that Syrena wanted to melt into his arms at the very moment.

"I love you, Philip."


End file.
